Our schools are keeping Charleston kids from reaching their potential. Together, we will change that reality.

Charleston County kids deserve better.

Far too many families feel that their public school options will not allow their children to have a life of opportunity - ready for college or a job in a rapidly changing economy. This problem is not new, but we know it is solvable. Charleston Coalition for Kids is on a mission to help improve our local schools and give every child in the county an equal opportunity to a first-class education, no matter where they live.

Challenges of Charleston County Schools

80%

of African American third graders in our schools cannot read on grade level

Only 38%

of all 8th graders in Charleston County are proficient in mathematics

2%

of African American high school juniors are college ready in all ACT-tested subjects

Each year, thousands of families are assigned to their neighborhood school, but apply for their children to attend a different public school. We must address this clear demand for better schools.

OUR VISION:

A Charleston County School Board providing excellent public education to every child in Charleston County.

OUR MISSION:

We advocate for changes to unlock the power of public education for every student. We identify qualified School Board members and hold them accountable for change we know is possible.

Meet Our Supporters

Dozens of parents and grandparents, community and business leaders came together to launch Charleston Coalition For Kids. We expect the School Board to address the unacceptable inequity across schools, and we’re here to hold them accountable for that duty.

Liz Alston

Historian at Emanuel AME and former CCSD board chair

Rochelle Altman

Community volunteer

Paul Asper

MUSC Zucker Institute For Applied Neurosciences

Nella Barkley

Crystal-Barkley Corporation

lavanda brown

Community volunteer

Chris Bryant

Yarborough Applegate

Patrick Bryant

Bidr and Go To Team

Jon Butzon

SC State Board of Education

Ben Cash

BlueKey

Dr. David and Kathy Cole

MUSC

Cheryl Cromwell

Charleston RISE

Lee Deas

Obviouslee Marketing

Ginny Deerin

Boomy Consulting

Park Dougherty

RW Baird

David and Julie Ellison

Charleston Hematology Oncology Associates / Porter-Gaud

molly and ted fienning

Babiators

Chris Fraser

Avison Young; former CCSD board chair

rep. wendell gilliard

South Carolina House of Representatives

Tim Goodwin

Mayor, City of Folly Beach

Kira Golub

Community volunteer / real estate investor

samuel graham

Department of Veterans Affairs (retired), Charleston RISE

jonathan green

Jonathan Green Studios

Toya Hampton

Attorney at Toya Hampton, LLC; former CCSD board member

Ken Harrell

Joye Law Firm

David Haythe

Morgan Stanley

Lauren herterich

Kids on Point

Lee Higdon

College of Charleston (former President)

ashley holbrook

Boeing South Carolina

Jermaine Husser

Palmetto Warrior Connection / Goodwill

jessica jackson

Boeing South Carolina

natasha jefferson

Parent advocate

dr. don and kim johnson

MUSC Board of Trustees / Southeastern Spine Institute

Wilbur Johnson

Young Clement Rivers

Barbara Kelley Duncan

Community volunteer

Sen. Marlon Kimpson

South Carolina Senate / Motley Rice

Louise and Paul Kohlheim

Community volunteer

Kaye Koonce

Trident Technical College (retired)

Bridget Laird

WINGS For Kids

hugh C. Lane, Jr

Bank of South Carolina

mark lattanzio

SunTrust Bank

Larry Lautenschlager

Robert Bosch, LLC (retired)

Ted Legasey

Community volunteer

Lindsay Leonard

Boeing South Carolina

harry lesesne

Charleston Parks Conservancy

Melissa Maddox-Evans

City of Charleston Housing Authority

Nina Magnesson

BoomTown

Caroline Mauldin

Happy & Bennett

Jim and mary McNab

FirstString Research

Otha Meadows

Trident Charleston Urban League

Rev. Dr. Kylon Middleton

Mt. Zion AME Church

Amy Mims

Meeting Street Schools

Katie Monoc

Monoc Roberts Law Firm

Charles Monteith

District 4 Constituent School Board Member

jeffrey montgomery

Omatic Software

Michael Boulware Moore

International African American Museum

Morgan Morton

Warner-Lambert Consumer Group (retired)

Ami and Marc Murphy

Community Volunteer / Atlatl Software

Ed Navarro

Grove Property Fund

Ben and Kelly Navarro

Sherman Capital / Meeting Street Schools

robert new

Former CCSD board chair

Alex Opoulos

Objectivity Squared

kp papadimitriou

Ronald McDonald House Charleston

Kathy Parks

Community volunteer

Eli Poliakoff

Nelson, Mullins, Riley & Scarborough

Tommy Preston

Boeing South Carolina

Allen Reed

Iron Horse Ventures

Kathryn and mark Richardson

MAR Real Estate

Bratton Riley

Citibot

Joseph p. Riley, Jr.

Former Mayor, City of Charleston

Dr. David Rivers

MUSC Community Health

J. Stephen rhodes

Poet, Presbyterian minister

NEIL Robinson

Chair, SC Education Oversight Committee / Nexsen Pruet

Diana Saillant

Saillant Consulting/Hispanic Business Association

Dot Scott

Civil rights advocate

Leon Scott

Belmond Charleston Place Hotel

Susan Simons

Former CCSD board member

Robert Smith

Goodwill

Truman Smith

Community volunteer

Gray Somerville

LaunchPath Innovation

debra and mitch sonkin

Teach For America - South Carolina

Dr. Kendra Stewart

Riley Center for Livable Communities, College of Charleston

eric and Kim strickland

Cusabo Lacrosse

donecia summers

Parent advocate

Keith Summey

Mayor, City of North Charleston

Catherine Templeton

Businesswoman and mom

Eric Thome

VentureSouth Charleston

Dr. Mary thornley

Trident Technical College

laura varn

Laura Varn & Associates

Chad and jena Walldorf

Entrepreneur / Former CCSD teacher

Doug Warner

Community volunteer

dr. fran welch

College of Charleston School of Education

richard weedman

Jonathan Green Studios

Loren and Mindelle Ziff

EastRock Properties / Z18 Ventures

anita zucker

InterTech Group

Josh Bell

Josh serves as Executive Director of Charleston Coalition For Kids, which he founded with dozens of Charleston community leaders. As a parent and former middle school teacher, he believes in the power of public education. Beginning his career as a classroom educator shaped his passion for ensuring all students have access to opportunity. He launched Teach For America in South Carolina, and has worked with superintendents and districts across the state to develop strategies to recruit hundreds of diverse, talented teachers to classrooms.